


Don't Blow Your Cover

by Elillierose



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Blood, Eventual Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Romance, Torture, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-23 16:56:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16622798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elillierose/pseuds/Elillierose
Summary: When most of the crew has been poisoned, it’s up to Zoro and Sanji to infiltrate a Marine base alone. Things seem to be going smoothly, or they are until Sanji gets himself captured. Now, Zoro is left to finish the task as well as get Sanji out of there. All while keeping his cover, no matter what.





	1. And Then There Was One

**Author's Note:**

> Day 5 of MarimoCookWeek - Disguise - Undercover  
> Beta read by: [markofthemoros](https://archiveofourown.org/users/markofthemoros/pseuds/markofthemoros) and [DragonRiderSayomi](http://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonRiderSayomi/pseuds/DragonRiderSayomi)
> 
> My [Tumblr](http://elillierose.tumblr.com/)  
> And my [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/Elillierose)

Sanji’s head flew back as his mouth opened in a silent scream. Abused fingers gripped the arms of the chair, splinters prodding his palms as he did so. Colors flashed across his vision as blinding pain nearly stole his consciousness away. Tendrils like fire-laced snakes slithered up his leg, biting every inch on their way up. It all radiated from his left foot. Even through the ringing in his ears, the blond could hear the sizzling of his flesh. He almost gagged as the scent charcoal reached his nose. It wasn’t particularly a putrid odor, but the knowledge of where it was coming from was enough to make his stomach churn.

His next breath caught on the back of his tongue, nearly causing the man to gag on it. As the metal poker was finally peeled away, his head fell back forward, chin striking his chest. Pants came out shallow and quick.

He hated the sound of his own whimpers with each exhale, but there was nothing Sanji could do to stop them. The chef wasn’t left with much time to catch his breath before the burning serpent was having a taste on his other foot. The same sensation erupted up the limb, and this time there was no stifling the cry that tore its way out of his throat. He was convinced it didn’t belong to him.

Sanji was positive this one lasted longer. Fortunately, the offended area was starting to grow numb. Either from being on the verge of passing out, or from the feeling being singed away, he didn’t know. But he was thankful for whichever it was. There was some talking among his captors. They were so close, and yet he couldn’t make out a word of what they were saying. The blond tried to lift his head, only for it to fall forward once more. Everything was blurred. It was making him nauseous, and the pounding in the side of his head was multiplying that feeling.

There was one voice in particular, one he could pick out above the rest that was surprisingly speaking with a different tone than the rest. He tried to latch onto it, to stay away as he listened to the words spoken.

“I-I think he’s had enough for now.”

He focused on each syllable. He couldn’t pass out, not in this place. But his body craved the bliss of unconsciousness. At least there, it was pain-free. There was more mumbling among the others, and then, he once again had his mind engulfed in flame.

* * *

 

“Hey, dumbass, did you hear me?” Sanji asked, trying not to lose his patience as he spoke into the transponder snail. There was a muffled ‘yeah’. “I said go left, so why the hell are you going right!?”

The blond grit his teeth hard enough to nearly bite his cigarette in half. Seriously, why did he have to be stuck with this idiot? He took a drag, and slowly huffed back out as he rolled back on his heels. Closely, he watched as the swordsman sharply turned around and headed in the direction he instructed the first damn time.

Sanji let out an annoyed groan and leaned his head back before standing on his perch to prepare to hop to the next building over. When they were this far into the enemy base, losing sight of Zoro was something neither of them could afford. Around almost every corner was another marine. He swore, it was like infiltrating an ant colony...only more obnoxious. Slowly, the swordsman was making his way through unnoticed. All he had to do now was make it to one of the carts, find a couple uniforms, and bring one back to Sanji.

Just a couple more corners and he would be able to walk these streets without drawing in unnecessary attention.

“Alright, in a couple more blocks, turn left...got that, LEFT!”

‘Shut the hell up, I got it the first time. And keep your voice down before you give me away, shithead.’

The chef’s brow twitched. Why did they have to take the stealth route? Zoro had less grace than Luffy. Then again, it was better than him giving the directions, he guessed. If that were the case, there’s no telling where Sanji would have ended up by now.

‘ _ Just bear with it,’ _ the blond told himself with a deep breath.

Zoro listened carefully, taking - almost - every turn he was told to take. But, he also kept a sharp ear out for any stragglers. Sanji may have had the high ground, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have blind spots. Hell, the man could probably only see half of what he could otherwise with that stupid hair of his. The swordsman grit his teeth at the thought of him missing something thanks to that.

Holding his breath, Zoro slowly peeked around the next corner. Coast was still clear and he sighed out in relief. “Alright, how much farther?” he whispered into his own snail.

‘Just keep going forward,’ Sanji replied, earning another scoff from the other. ‘At the next cross, turn RIGHT!’

“I GOT IT!” Zoro shouted back, unaware of the cook flinching on the other end.

‘Keep your voice down, mosshead,’ Sanji hissed back. ‘Ok, so after you turn right, I want you to wait until I tell you to continue. There are a couple o-’

His voice was suddenly cut off, replaced with choking and spluttering. 

“Hey, Sanji!” Zoro hissed through the snail. “What the hell is going on, can you hear m-” He drew in a sharp breath when the sounds on the other end were cut off, as if it had been disconnected. He growled in frustration and tossed his snail to the side in the heat of the moment. Stepping back until his back was against one of the buildings, Zoro tried to get a view of where he last saw the chef, but of course, the space was empty.

The swordsman swore under his breath and glanced in either direction. There was no point in turning back when he was this close. He could still make it, get the uniform, and then look for the idiot. Whatever trouble he got himself into, he’d just have to hold out until he got there, or Sanji would have to get himself out of it.

Zoro kept his steps as light as he could, not wanting anything to cover up the sound of others moving about. And if Sanji really did get caught then the place would likely be even harder to sneak around in with all of them on alert now. Great, not only did he cause trouble form himself, but he had to go and cause trouble for both of them. This only served to annoy the man more.

_ Ok, now which ways did he say to go again? _

Zoro lowered his head and tapped his foot in thought., but for the life of him, it just wasn’t coming to mind.

He didn’t have time for this, he’d just have to wing it and hope for the best. 

_ When in doubt, keep to the left. _

At least he knew that worked for mazes, so same with streets, right? They were basically the same thing. He inched towards every corner, listened for a few seconds, and when he deemed it clear, he rounded the corner. This process was repeated, one turn at a time. And for the first few, it went smoothly, no run ins and no sight of anyone. Either he was really good at this whole stealth thing, getting luck, or Sanji was full of shit when he said how many there were.

He started growing impatient, forgetting which way he was going long ago. As he rounded the seventh corner, he paused...he’d seen this window before. He knew it was the same because of the crack stretching from one corner to the other.

“Hmmm.”

Zoro blinked in confusion before it finally dawned on him.

“Dammit…” he muttered, furiously scratching the back of his head. He had been going in fucking circles for the last few minutes.

Straightening back up, he turned and headed in the opposite direction now, making sure to get away from this spot this time. His pace was slowly quickening. He wasn’t willing to admit it even to himself, but there was an inkling of worry drumming in his chest. Even if he got the uniform, there was no telling where Sanji was. And he’d look suspicious carrying around a spare uniform for no reason.

At this point, he was almost convinced he was better of just busting in and causing hell. But, he held onto the hope that the cook, wherever he was, had everything under control on his end.

Right, stick to the task at hand. Get the uniform with a slight change of plans.

Zoro weaved in and out of the streets, this time going for a zigzag pattern to avoid his earlier mistake. Doing this, he wasn’t surprised when he almost ran into his first marine. Luckily there was only one of them, and they didn’t seem like a particularly strong one… He narrowed his eyes. New plan.

Carefully, he unsheathed one of his swords and hid himself around the corner. He waited, gripped his hilt tighter as the steps grew closer. His breathing even and low, he took a deep breath before he struck. The swordsman made sure to use the dull edge of his sword. He wasn’t sure, but he had a feeling getting blood on the uniform would bring some unwanted questions.

The enemy went down with ease. Just as he thought, nothing more than small fry. Taking a quick look around, ensuring there were no others, Zoro stripped the man down without hesitation. 

In less than a minute, he was placing the cap on his head. They weren’t the best fit, but they would do well enough to get in and out of this place before anyone noticed, or before this guy woke up. Only problem though...he still had no idea where the hell he was supposed to be going.

* * *

 

Sanji groaned and tried to lift his head, but the sharp throbs made it feel and weigh like lead. A pained sound passed over his lips. The blond didn’t get a chance to get his bearings before his chin was roughly grabbed. He tried to pull away out of instinct, but every twitch had metal digging into his wrists and ankles.

“Rise ‘n shine, ya little rat,” rasped out a voice. Sanji flinched as wet droplets sprinkled his face. “Caught ya sneakin’ ‘round. What’s someone like you doin’ ‘round ‘ere?”

Defiantly, the blond yanked his head away, instantly regretting it when he felt pain pulse through it. Making it even worse, his action was followed by a swift - and hard - strike to his left cheek. His head snapped to the side as stars exploded in his vision. A copper flavor filled his mouth. He didn’t have time to recompose himself as his face was punched a second time, snapping his head in the other direction.

“I’d watch that attitude. I don’t think ya’re in the position to be misbehavin’.” He grabbed the chef’s chin again, and forced Sanji to face him once more. The cook cringed inwardly when the marine leaned in closer, his foul breath assaulted his nostrils. The guy looked like he didn’t know what a shower was. “Who were you talkin’ to on that rooftop?” he asked. Sanji’s eyes flicked in either direction, just now noticing the three others surrounding him, and he swallowed thickly.

“It’s not important,” he figuratively spit, followed by a literal spit. He couldn’t help but smirk to himself as the man swiped the blood from his face with a scowl. He couldn’t let them know Zoro was still out there somewhere. Unless they already knew, but if that were the case, he probably wouldn’t be sitting where he was.

_ If that damn shit- _

Another strike, this one straight to the temple. His mind buzzed, vision spun as ringing faded in and out.

“I suggest you answer the question,” one of the men to the side said lowly. His voice was deep, gravelly almost. “Not all of us are as patient with disobedience.” Even if Sanji couldn’t see the man, he could hear the grin spreading on his face more and more with each word. The blond growled in discomfort as his hair was gripped and his head was yanked back. His eyes squeezed shut with the force of it and a small, pained sound hissed between his teeth.

He took a deep breath, and knew he was about to regret this before he opened his mouth. “You’re wasting your time.” 

Pain rippled over his scalp and his face stung with another punch. There was the vague sound of hairs tearing from their place. This time, black teased the corners of his eyes. He could hear his own heavy pants through obnoxious buzzing. Barely aware, he could at least make out that his hair was finally released, and with nothing to hold his head up anymore, it fell forward. A few droplets of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth and stained his lap.

“Alright,” the first guy spoke up again. Small pops sounded out, like the popping of knuckles. “Let’s try this again shall we? Who was it you were talkin’ to out there, and where are they?”

* * *

 

Zoro leaned forward, hands on his knees to catch his breath. It’s been close to an hour by now, and it felt as though no progress had been made. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and straightened back up. Still, he’d been going in only one direction - or he was sure he had - so he had to be covering some sort of ground.

Regardless, he couldn’t stop here.With half the crew poisoned, it was up to him and Sanji to get the antidote. They didn’t know what sort of toxin was used, but it was clear it was man-made, and Chopper lacked the equipment to make a cure for it himself. That, and they simply didn’t have the time for him to think of something. Luffy and Usopp had been hit with something, something quite potent, that much was clear from the beginning. Franky and Brook would have instantly drawn in too much attention, so it was up to the two of them.

Luckily, they had an idea of where the vials of antidote were, but it required them to get close to the inside to retrieve. In that case, getting into the main building would be a good start as far as he was concerned. 

With that in mind, Zoro took off again. He no longer paid any mind to marines he passed by and they paid little mind to him. He was fortunate that no one here seemed to really know the faces of those they worked with. Though, the more he passed by, the more frustrated he became. They all looked the same, small fry, none of them important. If that was the case, then how was he supposed to know if he was in a different part of the base or not?

Picking up his speed, he ran for a few more minutes before finally jolting to a halt. The swordsman paused just outside another building. There was a sign plastered on the door.

“...Authorized Personnel Only…”

He blinked a couple times and rubbed the back of his neck. Well, it looked promising. He reached for the handle and turned, only to grunt when it refused to turn. Why the hell was everything always locked? His brows furrowed and he turned harder, willing to break the damn thing if he had to.

Grinding his teeth together, Zoro glanced in either direction. Coast clear. No more playing around, he was in a hurry. Once more, and hopefully for the last time, he unsheathed one of his swords. In a single, swift stroke, he smirked to himself as the handle ‘clinked’ on the ground. He heard the same noise muffled on the other side, signalling the slash had made it all the way through. Just as his weapon ‘clacked’ back into place, the door creaked part way open with nothing left to hold it shut.

He peeked in and let out a sigh of relief to see the hall empty. Carefully, placing his feet as lightly as he could, he stepped inside, pulling the door as close to being shut as he could. He pressed his back against it and waited for only a few seconds. He was going to wait a couple more, but something echoed down the hall, something that made his skin crawl.

He was positive he heard someone scream. It was muffled and barely heard, but he had little doubt about what it was. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled and he swallowed thickly. What the hell was this place? Then, he heard it again, it was louder, lasted a little longer. Where ever it was, it was in this building.

Instinctively, he took a step down the hall, towards the direction he was sure the screams were coming from. His footfalls were slow, cautious, and the farther he traveled, the louder the yells became. When he rounded the next corner, his blood froze in his body mid step. Another scream...he knew that voice.

_ Shit. _

His legs were moving before he could stop them. If there were others near, he couldn’t hear them over his heart pounding in his ears. The only other sound was the continuing screams of agony. It was like a beacon, leading him towards its source when all he could see was red.

Another turn, another hall and a single door at the end of it. There was no slowing down. In the moment, he couldn’t care less what or who was on the other side, there was just a driving need to get to the source. Before he could take a moment to think about what he was doing, he was bursting through the door. Everything, the screaming, his racing pulse, everything froze for a solid second.

Zoro’s eyes widened, voice caught in the base of his throat. His gaze locked onto one thing, one person sitting in a chair in the center of the room. Crimson ran down the side of his face, his jacket and shirt torn down his arms and chest to reveal the torn flesh underneath. Blond strands hung low, hiding what he could only assume was a grimace of pain.

_ Sanji _

“What the hell…”


	2. Calling for Desperate Measures

_ Sanji _

“What the hell…” Zoro muttered to himself, unable to take his eyes off the blond, who didn’t even seem to notice him yet.

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” someone scoffed. Zoro finally saw the four others standing around. One of them holding some sort of metal comb in their hand. Even from across the room, he felt his blood boil at the red liquid dripping from it. He glanced from that to the scrapes and cuts littering Sanji's body, and his fists clenched at his sides. He opened his mouth, preparing to speak his mind. But, the golden head of hair twitched slightly, his head raising until one blue orb stared daggers at him.

Sanji half-smiled, bitterly. “Oh great, more...of you?” he asked, spitting another glob of blood to the floor.

Zoro blinked, bewildered for a moment. Did he not recognize him? He glanced down, remembering the uniform. Of course… He took a deep breath. “Uh, I’m new?” he tried, praying inwardly it was convincing enough. “I just got a little lost.” He shrugged, eyes flickering to Sanji again, just in time to see a small jolt in his shoulders.

The men didn’t reply right away, but more than one of them narrowed their eyes. “Really?” the one holding the comb asked, a taller fellow, slicked back brown hair. “How’d you get in ‘ere?”

The swordsman breathed in sharply. “Door was open,” he said nonchalantly, hoping his panic wasn’t showing through.

One of them swore under his breath. “Dammit, how many times do I have to tell that idiot to lock up when he leaves? This is the third time this week.” He scratched the back of his head, ruffling his already shaggy raven locks. “Anyway, captured ourselves a stubborn little rodent,” he chuckled lightly. The last word was accentuated with a backhand to the blond’s face. Zoro felt himself cringe with the resounding sound.

“Caught ‘em on the roof talkin’ to another pest. Asshole refuses ta say who though,” he growled, raising the metal spikes before thrust them down, planting them deeply into Sanji’s shoulder.

The blond gasped and tried desperately to keep his cries stifled. But, as the comb was raked down to his chest, another pained scream ripped out. Yet, even suffering as he was, the blond kept his attention on Zoro, a hidden message in that sharp stare. ‘Don’t blow your cover.’ He only closed his eyes when the comb was torn away, droplets of crimson arced after it and decorated the floor with more of the substance.

Sanji’s breaths came out ragged, huffed. His whole body appeared to be trembling. 

“Still not talkin’, huh?” slick-back asked and lifted a foot to ram into the chef’s wounded shoulder. Pushing against torn flesh, he leaned in. “Do we hafta start breakin’ fingers nex-”

“No!”

All eyes, even the cook’s slightly glazed ones, turned to the swordsman, whose mouth was still open, jaw tense. “What was that?” the brunet asked, removing his foot, which caused their hostage to sag forward slightly. “You feelin’ sorry for this pirate scum?” he spat, grabbing a handful of the blond’s hair. He yanked back so his face was visible. And if looks could kill.

_ Keep your damn mouth shut… _

Zoro swallowed thickly, realizing his mistake too late. He had to think of something, quick. “I-I know a better way,” he muttered. He blinked slowly. Why the hell did he say that? Of all the things he could have come up with...why that? He had to play the part. ‘You don’t care about this man,’ he told himself. ‘This man is a stranger, you do not care.’

“Oh yeah? Care to enlighten us, ‘New Recruit’?”

The swordsman glanced around, looking for anything. Then his eyes landed on something, and his chest tightened.

“Well?” the man asked before following his gaze. He smiled to himself as he looked at the torch on the wall. “Fire, huh?” he chuckled lightly. “Can’t say I’ve ever tried burning…” he muttered, hand on his chin in thought. The next look he gave Zoro caused the man to shudder; the gleam in them didn’t bode well. He already knew what he was going to ask before he opened his mouth. “Care to show us how it’s done?” He stepped to the side, and waved his hands towards the blond.

Before Zoro could object, one of the others plucked the torch from the wall and practically forced it into his hand. In his other, something metallic and cold was pushed against his palm. 

They actually expected him to do this.

He looked to his crewmate. It was subtle, but he knew he saw it. A small nod of approval. Did the idiot really want him to go so far just to keep his damn cover? Zoro’s heart was battering in his chest, and he knew they could see beads of sweat rolling down the sides of his face.

“What’s wrong?” the raven-haired marine asked. “Never interrogated scum before?”

“Doesn’t...look like it,” Sanji egged on with a slight grin. “Are you really letting...fucking  _ cowards _ into the marines now?” He coughed lightly with a wince. “Do it if you’re gonna do it, unless you...wanna waste my time.”

The others laughed in response, enjoying this far too much for either of their liking.

Zoro’s hand tightened around the poker, and slowly he sauntered closer to the blond, that latter watching his every move carefully. And he hated it, he hated the way that blue orb darted from fire, to poker, to his face. His chest rose and fell, his breath coming faster the closer they were together. Zoro had to look away. If he had to do this, he couldn’t watch the man in the face while he did it. He crouched, zero hesitation. If there was a second of reluctance he would give himself away, give both of them away. He had to stay indifferent.

Moving on autopilot, the swordsman removed both of Sanji’s shoes and tossed them aside. Holding his breath, he lifted the poker and hovered it over the flame. Zoro kept his gaze down, but he could still hear the panicked exhales, shuddering. When the metal was a bright glow, he handed the torch to one of the others, he had no idea which one took it.

He grabbed one of the chef’s heels to keep it as still as possible. If nothing else, he wanted to do as little damage as possible, but without making it obvious he was holding back. He closed his eyes, and trying not to think about it, pressed the scorching object into Sanji’s exposed skin.

The first thing his ears picked up on was the sizzle, the literal cooking of the blond’s flesh. He didn’t know which was worse, that, or the sharp gasp. There was an odd sound coming from the chef’s throat, and it took Zoro moment to realize he was holding back a scream. He had no idea how he managed. The limb jerked in his grasp, but he kept a strong hold on it. There was something that sounded like a choked sob, and he instantly pulled the poker away. Every inhale the blond took was a whimper of agony. Each one tightened Zoro’s fingers around the metal until it bit into his palm and his knuckles faded white.

Feeling all the eyes on him, piercing through him, he knew he couldn’t stop there. Doing just one for such a short amount of time wasn’t nearly enough for them. Before he had too much time to think, before he had the chance to be utterly repulsed by what he was doing, Zoro grabbed the other foot and repeated the process. This time, to his regret, there was a scream. It was loud, pure, and it dug into his chest.

Zoro grit his teeth and forced himself to hold the poker there until the cry hitched. He yanked it away on instinct and instantly jumped to his feet. His own breaths were quick, but not as quick as Sanji’s. When the swordsman was finally able to look at the man's face, his stomach churned. Pain was written all over it, pale with a sheen of moisture. But, it was the small glimmers in the corner of his eye that had the swordsman’s heart aching.

“I-I think he’s had enough for now,” Zoro breathed out, voice flat...emotionless. He swallowed the lump, trying to combat the nausea burning its way up his throat.

As he turned around, the torch was thrust back towards him.

“We still don’t have answers,” the man declared. “It’s not over ‘til we either have answers, or we can no longer get them.”

For a few seconds, the man lost his ability to breathe as he took the flame back in his hand. Slowly, he cut his attention back to Sanji. He couldn’t do it again, he was barely conscious as it were. His mouth dried when another whimper slipped past the blond’s lips. It was a sound he would have never voluntarily allowed to escape.

_ I can’t. _

But they were all watching him. He glanced down again to the uniform hugging his form and thought back to Sanji’s silent plea.

_ Play the part. _

Zoro took a deep breath and took the torch in his grasp. Once more, he hovered the metal over the flame, watching it as it heated back up. Both of the blond’s feet had a lengthy, angry burn on them. His teeth were clenched, and he was sure any harder and they would crack.

“Sorry,” he muttered so quietly, he doubted his apology was heard. He tried to no longer pay attention to what he was doing, didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that he was destroying someone he considered a friend, someone he considered close to him. Sanji screamed every time the orange tip made contact with his skin. Quickly, he was running out of undamaged surfaces, and he tried desperately not to have any of the marks overlap.

Sanji’s cries were eventually growing quieter, more hoarse until there was barely any reactions at all. Only shivers and pained sobs wracked his abused body. 

“Lasted longer than I expected,” one of the man muttered, a redhead, as he forcibly grabbed the blond’s chin and lifted his head. His one visible eye was half lidded, lacking all sense of awareness. “Held his tongue the whole way through. I’m surprised, most crack within a few minutes. A pity.” He pushed the blond head away, and Zoro could only watch as the cook’s head lolled to the side, strength absent. “Didn’t think his likes were capable of caring for others, learn something new everyday,” he snorted. The swordsman felt his entire body heat up as he rose to his feet, dropping both torch and poker.

As he took a step towards one of the men, his attention was pulled back to Sanji when a few words were rasped out.

“F-Fuck...y-yo-”

In an instant, his head whipped to the side as a firm fist collided with the right side of his face. Zoro was sure he heard a slight ‘crack’ and prayed it was the assailant’s knuckles. But with the way the cook’s body completely stilled, he didn’t have much hope for that.

The man stepped back, shaking his hand. “Damn pest,” he muttered, scowling at the unconscious form. He then turned his attention to Zoro. “Hey, you, make yourself useful,” he instructed as he unlatched the blond’s wrists while one of the others went for the ankles. Once all binds were undone, Sanji was shoved forward to drop lifelessly to the floor, face down. “Go take him to one of the holding cells, will ya? When he wakes up, we’ll start again. Can’t drag answers out of ‘em at this point, so where’s the fun?” As if to make sure the pirate really was out for the count, he landed a swift kick to his side and got no response.

Zoro suppressed a flinch when the foot made contact.

“Hurry up,” the man ordered, stepping to the side. The swordsman didn’t have to be told twice. In less than a second, he was next to the chef, and the first thing he did was feel for a pulse. He let out a small sigh when he felt it going strong still.

A glance over his shoulder to make sure the others weren’t watching, Zoro, as carefully as he could, scooped the lithe form into his arms. He slowly rose to his feet, holding the blond close. One hand supported the side of his head to keep it from moving too much. There was no telling what they did to him before he arrived. Of course, he had no idea where the cells were, not that he had any intention of carrying out such a task, but he still hoped he was at least going in the right direction.

He could still hear the men laughing behind him, even after the door fell shut behind him. Zoro walked a ways down the hall before he took the risk of pausing. He leaned his back against the wall and gazed down; his fingers furled slightly at the blood that was already drying at the corner of pale lips.

Zoro had to get the both of them out of here.

But…

He couldn’t leave without those antidotes. His jaw locked up as he considered which should take priority. Though the toxin the others were exposed to was quite potent, they weren’t in any immediate danger last he was with them. Though, it could have easily progressed by now. He hummed to himself in frustration.

“Dammit.”

He let out a heavy sigh, knowing exactly what he had to do. He still had his cover, if he left now, then all that would have been for naught and getting back in would have proven to be a different story another time. He swore, this man was more trouble than it was worth sometimes. Pulling Sanji in closer, he tried his best not to focus on the warmth of blood soaking the front of his borrowed uniform. And he tried to ignore the occasional hitch in the man’s breathing as hot puffs tickled the side of his neck.

There had to be somewhere he could leave him, somewhere safe where he wouldn’t be found. His best bet would have to be outside somewhere. There were already too many in here, and the other buildings were likely just as populated. At the same time, he wasn’t a fan of leaving the guy somewhere in the middle of nowhere. As much as he despised it, he had to admit to himself at this point that there was the chance of him forgetting where he left him…

He shook his head. There wasn’t time to dwell on this, he had to make up his mind already. First, he had to worry about getting out of here without being noticed. There was no one approaching from either side of the hall, so that was a plus. Zoro finally moved, jolting slightly when Sanji stirred lightly with the motion.

He inhaled sharply, eye squeezed shut. He shifted, only to shudder with another hiss.

“Stay still,” Zoro muttered.

At the sound of his voice, the blond pried his eye open halfway. Waves of stinging torment still radiated from his feet, and every step the swordsman took only sparked more of the sensation to travel up his legs. “Shit’ead,” he ground out. He swallowed thickly, wincing as a small whimper slipped out. 

“Stay still and shut up,” Zoro corrected.

The blond shivered, and one slender hand instinctively shot out to grasp the front of the other man’s shirt.

“I need to find a place to hide you,” he explained, speaking about it as if it were an everyday predicament. “I’m going to need you to wait, and stay the fuck quiet until I get back.”

Surprisingly, Sanji managed a weak, humorous smile. “In other words...Imma die...waiting.” He chuckled lowly, only for it to cut off into a small cough. “Shit...that’urts,” he muttered.

“I thought I told you to shut it.”

Zoro’s eyes couldn’t help but glance down at the cook’s feet, and until now he couldn’t see just how painful they looked. He bit his lower lip, trying not to swear out loud. Now that they were out in the sunlight, it was easier to make out the extent of the damage. There was almost no skin left that wasn’t an angry red. Already, he could see blisters starting to form in a few places, and he knew more would only pop up before it was over.

He needed to find a place fast. Now he had even less time to find what he needed and get the hell out of this hellhole. Sanji was still losing blood, Zoro could feel it spreading slowly every time one of his feet hit the ground. And the high risk of infection with burns… he needed to get him to Chopper.

A sudden turn, and he was headed down an alley. He continued down it, only stopping when he reached the dead end. Slightly out of breath, Zoro finally crouched down and laid the cook down.

“This will have to do,” he breathed out. He glanced around, looking for something to cover Sanji with. He doubted anyone would have a reason to come this way, but he didn’t want to risk it. The only thing around was a dumpster, and he instantly shook the idea away of stuffing him in that thing. That was just asking to make him sick. But…

The blond turned his head and blearily watched as Zoro pulled the hunk of metal away from the building, just enough to fit someone behind. His face fell as it dawned on him just what the idiot was up to.

“Please...tell me you’re not…”

“You got a better idea?” Zoro asked, dusting his hands off. “It won’t smell nice, but it should keep you out of view until I can come back. And don’t give me that look, I WILL be back, got it?”

Sanji just breathed out in exhaustion. He was starting to feel light-headed again, and he knew well that it was from the blood loss. All he could do was accept as Zoro hefted him up and carried him over. Even if he really wanted to get fight his way out of the man’s grasp, with his feet the way they were, there was no way he was getting anywhere on his own. Not unless he dragged himself. But, the thought of doing so with the his wounds caused a shudder to run through him.

It was easier to just trust the idiot was telling the truth.

“Don’t move from this spot and don’t do anything that will draw attention to yourself. I’ll be back as quickly as I can.” He crouched just at Sanji’s head. “And try not to bleed to death before I return. I don’t want to have to bring a corpse back.”

Sanji said nothing, but Zoro could see the lines of discomfort all over his features. “Just don’t get yourself killed…” he muttered. “You better come back....dumbass.”

“I don’t plan on dying before you,” Zoro shot back.

Sanji smiled to himself and closed his eyes. He focused on the man’s steps as he slowly walked away. He continued to listen to them until, at last, they disappeared altogether.

“Please...just come back.”


	3. Did What We Had To

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it is, the last chapter. Sorry if any of it feels a little awkward, or like it has loopholes. XD But, I was trying to get a fic out for each prompt, so, I tried not to have any of these be too drawn out. ;w;

It was getting more difficult for Sanji to stay awake. His whole body ached and the first chills of evening were bothering him more than he cared to admit. He shivered, violently. Or, he hoped it was do to the temperature dropping and not his body that was starting to get too cold. Slowly, he raised one of his hands and held it in front of his face. It trembled with the effort to hold it there, and he wasn’t a fan of the way it blurred in and out of focus.

He had already been on the verge of passing out a few times, but every time he was jolted back to consciousness from the painful throbs that plagued his form. He wasn’t sure if he was thankful for that or not. On one hand, he was exhausted, every second awake was nothing less than agonizing. But, on the other, this wasn’t the best place to go to sleep in. Danger was literally around every corner and he felt the need to be on his guard should anything come his way.

Sanji had no idea how long Zoro had been gone. Two...three hours? At the most, maybe. What the hell was taking that man so long? He tried to take a deep breath, flinching when it aggravated his wounds.

Slowly, he placed his hand over his injured shoulder only to pull it away and see fresh blood coating his fingertips. That couldn’t have been good. The blond cleared his throat and let his arm fall back to his side. He wasn’t sure if it was just him or not, but breathing was starting to become more tedious, chest aching and protesting with every forced inhale. Sanji swallowed thickly, trying to shove his nausea down.

His eyes were almost closed all the way, and they had been for the past half hour. It was a miracle they hadn’t closed completely by now. Even when sirens sounded off in the distance, his eyelids didn’t move.

“...”

Sanji’s eyebrows knit together. 

_ When did those start going off? _

What did that idiot do? The blond tried to sit up, but all he managed to do was slowly prop himself partly up on the wall, leaving him winded and dizzy. He wrapped an arm around himself. Then, biting his bottom lip, he pulled himself the rest of the way up until his back was pressed against bricks.

His gaze naturally flicked to the huge, dark stain left where he was just lying. It was enough to make his stomach churn. But, he didn’t pay it much mind as the alarms beckoned for his attention back. That had to be Zoro’s doing, there was nothing else he believed it could have been.

The cook mentally prepared himself and tried to convince his body to work properly should it resort to him having to make a run for it. Though, despite this, he already knew for a fact he wasn’t running anywhere, at least not for long. He drew one of his legs in close to take a look at his left foot - which felt to be the worst of the two - to take a look at it for the first time. All this time, he had been avoiding catching so much as a glimpse of the appendage.

He cringed; it looked worse than it felt. Blisters littered the surface, some already appearing to have busted from lying on such a rough surface. Infection was the next thing on his mind. This wasn’t the most sanitary of places… Thankfully they had a competent doctor back on the ship, so hopefully that wouldn’t be much of an issue.

Sanji’s breath caught, and his head leaned back. Steps caught his attention, moving fast and towards him. He was pretty sure it was Zoro, no one else had any reason to be running at that speed back here. Still, there was no such thing as being too careful.

The blond held his breath as his heart echoed off the inside of his skull, doing no favors for his already throbbing headache. He had both hands pressed firmly against the ground, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. Or, at least his mind was ready even if his body wasn’t. Finally working his way up to his knees, Sanji instantly relaxed as the familiar shade of green could be seen over the top of the dumpster.

“Took you long enough,” the blond muttered, adrenaline ebbing away.

Sanji leaned back, energy draining back sliding down the wall until he was back on the ground.

“We gotta go, now,” Zoro announced. He reached into his pocket to pull out a few bottles of clear liquid, taking them just far enough for the other man to see. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t get them discreetly. Had no choice but to attract some attention.”

If the blond wasn’t as exhausted as he were, he might have been a little more annoyed by this. He didn’t have time to relax as the swordsman was gripping his wrist in a mere second and hauling him up. The moment any weight at all was placed on his feet, Sanji couldn’t stifle a tight whimper as colors burst in front of his eyes.

“Sorry,” the swordsman hissed out, instantly scooping the other up the moment he realized. “Time to get out of here.”

“You...remember which way?” Sanji asked between labored breaths. His face was turned to the side, hidden in the other’s shoulder. Zoro couldn’t tell if he was doing so out of pain or humiliation for having to be carried. He also couldn’t tell if it was just him or not, but he was pretty sure the cook was shuddering more than he was earlier...looked more pallid as well.

Humming lowly to himself, lost in thought for a few seconds, Zoro tore his gaze from the blond. He had to focus. “I...know the general direction.”

“Good enough.”

“Either way, I’m getting us out of here,” he promised, more sure of himself than he’d ever been. He’d only been running for a few minutes, trying to stick to the back streets as much as possible, before he stole another look at the cook. “How ya holdin’ up?” he asked after noticing he was growing somewhat still. Groans and whimpers were also becoming less frequent and quieter.

In response, he received a small mutter against his shoulder. It was incoherent, but he figured it was safe to assume Sanji at least heard and understood him.

“Should just be a few more minutes,” he assured. He didn’t have much of an idea about where they were, but there were things that looked familiar. It was the right direction...sort of. All he knew was the sea was that way, meaning their ship was that way, meaning Chopper and help was that way.

This time, the only reaction he got in return was the feeling of the cook relaxing in his arms. The hand that was previously gripping the front of his shirt slowly loosened and fell away. He was still breathing though. As long as he still drew in breath, Zoro wasn’t going to allow himself to get too worried about it. It was probably for the best if he passed out. Every second the man was awake he was in obvious pain. He did a piss poor job of trying to play it down.

It also meant he was able to move through the streets faster without the fear of making thing worse for him. There was no longer the concern of jostling him around too much. The only thing that he had to be carefully of now was making the wounds worse. But, he held onto the cook tightly, trying to keep his body as still as possible as his legs carried them faster.

A few more minutes of running, and the sirens were slowly starting to fade away with the distance. Zoro was out of breath, sweat running down his face. He couldn’t wonder how long it would take for those guys to realize Sanji wasn’t actually locked away. The swordsman smirked to himself, imagining the look on their faces when they discovered it. Oh how he longed to witness it.

“We’re almost there,” he promised on deaf ears.

Of course, there was no answer, but he wasn’t exactly expecting one.

Lifting his gaze back up, a little of the tension fled his muscles when the Thousand Sunny was back within view. He felt as though he could finally breathe out. “I see it, the ship,” he said, clinging to the chance that just maybe Sanji was hearing everything.

It took him no more than half an hour to finally reach the shore, and a few more minutes to manage to get the both of them on board without shaking the man up too much. As soon as he was on stable flooring, Zoro slowly, carefully, placed the unconscious blond down. Not once did Sanji show any sign of being awake.

“Zoro, Sanji! You’re ba-” came Chopper’s ecstatic voice, cutting off when he saw the state of the chef. “What happened!?” he demanded, bounding closer until he stood next to them. 

The swordsman didn’t answer, and he swallowed what explanation he did have when he caught sight of the injuries he inflicted again. “He got caught and we did what we had to,” he said in a low, almost inaudible tone. “Anyway, I got the antidotes,” he informed, fishing the small vials out. “Take care of them, I’ll do what I can here until you’re done with the others.”

Their doctor nodded. “Right, get him downstairs and get him undressed. Do what you can to stop the bleeding too. I just need to check and make sure this is the right stuff and then give them both a dose. It won’t take long,” he promised, wide eyes never leaving the chef.

Zoro said nothing else, just got right to doing as he was asked. He was starting to feel a little bad about all the lifting and placing he was doing with Sanji lately. All the moving around, he knew wasn’t exactly the best for him. Fortunately, the next time he laid him down would be the last for some time. He had to do a little bit of maneuvering to get his jacket and shirt off, but other than that, Sanji was finally left to lie still.

There was already blood staining the sheets, but he honestly didn’t care. Instead, he just grabbed whatever spare materials he could and pressed them into the worst of the wounds, the one starting at the chef’s shoulder.

Sanji gasped at the pressure, eye snapping open as he instinctively tried to pull away.

“Hey,” Zoro muttered, “quit moving so much, you’re gonna make it worse.”

The blond instantly relaxed with a deep, stuttered breath. His brown knit in confusion as he glanced around. It took a few seconds for recognition to finally set in and there was a sigh of relief.  “It’s a miracle,” he mumbled, hoarsely. “You actually found...your way back, huh?”

Zoro scoffed. “Of course I did, I said I would, didn’t I?” He continued to hold the cloth in place, vaguely feeling the cook’s struggled breaths beneath the palm of his hand. They were quick and uneven. It was clear he was putting on another show for him, probably trying his hardest not to let the swordsman know just how much pain he was in. He appreciated it, but at the same time, he wished the fool would just get his priorities straight for one.

“Chopper will be in here as soon as he can to look you over,” he said, peeking under the sheets to see more crimson blossom from the wound. It wasn’t bleeding anywhere near as much, thankfully.

Sanji grunted. “I’ll be fin-”

“Shut the hell up, will ya?” Zoro bit out, not realizing how harsh his tone was until the words were already out. “Stop acting like you’re fine all the time, it’s starting to piss me off.” He kept his eyes down, avoiding meeting that sky gaze. “Even I can see just fine that you’re not.” His eyes trailed down the length of the blond’s body, stopping once he hit the bottom.

Sanji visibly flinched as he felt the piercing stare focused on his feet. “If you’re feeling sorry for yourself for...that, then you can stop right now…” It was hard for Zoro to really listen to the man when he had to pause for breath ever couple words. He cleared his throat, head pushed back into the pillows with a clenched jaw. “You did what you had to. It’s over with now.”

“Over with?” Zoro asked bitterly. “You can’t even walk, how the hell do you call that ‘over with’?” He lowered his gaze. Like hell it was over with...like it would ever be. Wounds would heal, he would walk fine again, he wasn’t worried about any of that. Sanji had survived through much worse than this. But all those other times, it was never  _ him _ inflicting those scars. These, every time he’d see them in the future, he’d remember exactly why they were there. 

He didn’t want this to just be  _ over with. _ It wasn’t that simple.

Zoro was broken from his reverie when the other cleared his throat...loudly. “Stop sulking and hand me a smoke,” he ordered, holding out his hand.

With a subtle roll of his eyes, the man did as he was asked, keeping one hand pressed against Sanji’s shoulder the whole time. He tossed the whole pack and was impressed the blond could still catch it as effortlessly as he did. The blond placed a cigarette between his teeth and had it lit within a couple of seconds. He inhaled slowly and carefully huffed out.

“Are you really that much of a dumbass?” the chef asked after a moment. “I’m the one that told you...to do it, aren’t I?” He cut his eyes over, trying to mask his his pain. “Doesn’t that make me just as guilty as you...in all this?”

Zoro ground his teeth at that, both fists balling up. He had to force his right hand to loosen when he felt the other jolt under his touch. “About that…” he muttered and finally brought his attention back to Sanji. “Who the  _ hell _ do you think you are!?” Sanji reeled slightly from his sudden outburst. “What, you think that little game of yours back there was noble or something? You’re lucky you got out of there without anything more severe.” He paused to take a deep breath, he needed to calm down. Which was easier said than done with the way his heart was thrumming against his ribs and how his face was gradually heating up.

“Dammit, do you ever stop to think about your decision?” he finally asked, jerking his head to the side.

There was a low hiss as Sanji shifted. “Like you’re one to talk, mister sacrificial.” 

“At that moment, I had to do what I did. Alright? There was no other option, but t-”

“No other option!?” Sanji shot back, wincing as the outburst jostled his body. “I remember giving you the choice! If you hadn’t gotten in the wa-”

Zoro had enough of it, and he was yelling before he could stop himself. “If I hadn’t stepped in and let you take the fall, then you would have…” he trailed off, lowering his gaze.

“...Would have what?” Sanji asked flatly. “Go ahead, say it. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking I would have died? Don’t you?” The blond took a deep, trembling breath. “Do you really think everyone else so weak, that you should be the only one to bear everyone else’s lives on your shoulders?” Taking the cigarette from his mouth, he leaned his head back and blinked heavily.

Zoro’s silence was the only answer he needed.

The swordsman then took a deep breath. “No, it’s not because I see any of you as weak. Are you really that damn dense? I don’t doubt the strength of anyone on this ship. I just...I just can’t stand to sit by and watch  _ you _ get hurt. Especially when it’s by my own damn hands!”

Sanji’s breath hitched, and he swiftly turned his head the other way. 

The only thing that broke the uncomfortable silence that settled between them was the sound of hooves tapping down the stairs. “The others will be alright,” he announced when he reached the bottom. He wasted no time in getting next to Sanji, urging Zoro to finally take his hands away. The reindeer exhaled heavily as he finally got the chance to really look his body over.  
Zoro watched in muted stubbornness as Chopper expertly cleaned bandaged the various scraps and tears littering the blond’s form. Sanji showed little sign of discomfort aside from a few flinches and hisses here and there. However, when he got to the feet, it was a completely different tune.

Sanji’s eyes were squeezed shut the moment Chopper brushed over the sensitive flesh. His fingers dug into the sheets and clutched them until his knuckles were drained of what little color they had left. As he worked, the reindeer’s expression dropped slightly as he assessed the full extent of the damage. The more concerned his face, the more Zoro’s chest tightened. 

After examining both feet, Chopper left for only a couple minutes to retrieve some items: water, cloths, various ointments among a few other things. Neither of the others were paying very much attention. Sanji was mainly focused on trying to keep his discomfort to himself by biting into his bottom lip. But, whimpers and hisses escaped. And if that wasn’t enough to betray his pain, then the sheen of sweat developing sure as hell was.

“I’m working as fast as I can, but I need to clean the wounds,” their doctor explained. “They’re at high risk of infection, so I want to be thorough.”

Sanji waved a weak hand. “Do...whatcha need to,” he breathed between clenched teeth.

Zoro winced every time the blond did. And by the time it was all over, he had his head bowed, fists tight at his sides. “How bad is it?” He couldn’t stop himself from asking, but he had to know. As Chopper finished off the last of the bindings, he stepped back, swiping a hoof over his forehead.

The reindeer hummed to himself. “They...were pretty bad,” he admitted. “There’s quite a few second and third degree burns, so we’re going to have to clean them frequently. But, they will heal fine with some time.” He looked to Sanji now, who was finally able to open his eyes without forcing them back shut. “You probably shouldn’t walk around for a little while. But I know you will, so at least keep it to a minimum, as little as you can. Wait here, I’ll get something for the pain, and some antibiotics, just to be safe.”

The swordsman nodded with a hum.

While Chopper was gone, Zoro took a seat on the edge of the bed, hands clasped in his lap. “I’m sorry,” he muttered with a shake of his head.

“About?” The question was raspy.

“This whole mess,” he replied, flatly. Wasn’t it obvious? 

Sanji snorted. “Why? Did you rat me out? Did you knock me out and drag me and tie me to a chair?” Zoro could practically hear the eye roll in his tone. “I already told you, you did what you had to...we both did. And you heard Chopper, all I need is a little bit of time. Probably a few days tops.”

“But that’s only physically,” Zoro muttered.

Sanji breathed out slowly. “Tell me something, Zoro. How long do you think it took the rest of us to get over it when you tried to get yourself killed? Do you think we just got over that shit overnight? We dealt with, so now you will too. It’s just some scratches and burns.” He pulled himself, groaning with the movement, until he was propped against the back wall. “I’m not holding any grudges against you, so you’re wasting your time if that’s what you’re hoping for. And keep in mind, this is nowhere near the shit you pulled.”

All Zoro could do was sit there, head lowered as a hand raised to rub the back of his neck. He hated how right Sanji was. Everything he said, he was true. 

“I know,” he sighed, lifting his head back up. “You’re right.” He straightened up and ran both hands down his face. “Still, it’s not going to stop me from regretting a damn thing. I hurt you first-hand. I had to watch and listen as you screamed. I could fucking smell your skin burn! And I wasn’t allowed to stop or help. I know you wanted me to keep my cover and play along, but it doesn’t mean I have to be okay with it.”

Slowly, without thought, Zoro’s hand drifted until it was resting on the blond’s thigh. He took a deep breath. “But...you’re right. I’ll eventually get over it. Wounds will heal, both physical and not.” 

Sanji said nothing, didn’t even acknowledge the hand on his leg. He was very aware, but he was honestly too exhausted to do much else aside from lean his head back. Within the next couple of minutes, Chopper returned with the meds, which Sanji took without complaint for a change. Again, most likely due to all his fighting energy being utterly drained.

“Now you just need a lot of rest,” the doctor instructed, placing a new glass of water on the side table.

“How are the others?” Sanji asked, lying back down.

Chopper offered a reassuring smile. “Right now, they’re faring better than you. The antidote works fast, and fortunately, the poison didn’t have time to really do any damage. Nothing permanent, anyway.”

Sanji nodded, “That’s goo…” he trailed off into a deep yawn.

“Go to sleep,” the reindeer ordered, gathering all his materials back up. “It’s almost night now, so I’ll be back in the morning, unless you need me before then.”

“Don’t worry,” Zoro said. “I’ll be staying in here tonight, so I’ll keep an eye on him.” Satisfied with that, Chopper felt at ease enough to finally step out of the room again, for the final time that night. He waited until there was no other sound other than the cook’s still labored breathing. “Move over,” he said, already trying to climb over the chef.

The blond’s eyes widened. “H-Hey, what the hell are you doing!?”

“Shut up, I’m tired, and I’m not sleeping on the floor or in that chair.”

“Then go sleep in your own damn bed.”

Zoro didn’t listen, he just continued his way over until he was plopped down next to the cook. Surprisingly, he did so in such a manner as to not so much as touch any of the sore spots. “Can’t do that, promised Chopper I’d stay here. And you can’t walk, so looks like we’re both stuck here.”

Despite his words, Sanji found himself scooting over a few inches to give the other a bit more room. It wasn’t exactly a sizable bed, but Zoro was at least courteous enough to take up as little room as possible. Yet, somehow he was able to still remain close enough to the other to keep his head angled against the blond locks. Sanji didn’t move when a much larger hand grabbed his and interlocked their fingers.

By the time all was said and done, the cook looked over, not at all surprised to see Zoro already asleep, snoring softly. He couldn’t help but smile softly at the sight of it. They could both use some sleep; he couldn’t imagine what the man had to go through because of him. With a weary sigh, Sanji, too, leaned into the warmth of the swordsman. It never crossed his mind before how welcoming of an aura the guy had. Unable to fight off the pull of the void any longer, he finally allowed his body to relax and his mind to drift.

The last thing he remembered hearing was a drowsy, “Sleep well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 done, only three more to go. ;A;


End file.
